PDES staff will play a key role in planning and evaluation
On Dec. 1st, World AIDS Day, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) launched the End HIV Oregon initiative during a media event at the Portland State Office Building. End HIV Oregon envisions a state in which new HIV infections are eliminated and where all people living with HIV have access to high-quality care, free from stigma and discrimination.
The End HIV Oregon strategy is the culmination of a two-year planning process. Community members from across Oregon came together to identify the most pressing issues to address in order to eliminate new HIV infections. Program Design & Evaluation Services (PDES) staff facilitated this planning process.
The End HIV Oregon strategy centers around three themes:
- Testing is easy: Confidential testing available throughout Oregon makes testing simple, convenient and fast.
- Prevention works: Core prevention programs must be maintained and expanded, and use of new tools, such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a daily pill that prevents infection, must be accelerated.
- Treatment saves lives: Effective treatment, called viral suppression, among HIV-positive people helps infected people live long, healthy lives and has the potential to prevent the largest proportion of new HIV infections.
Due to federal funding mechanisms, planning for delivery of HIV care services has historically occurred separately for the Portland metro area and the balance of state. The End HIV Oregon plan is the first plan that is statewide, inclusive of all 36 counties and addresses the entire HIV continuum, from prevention through care.
OHA is leading the multi-year End HIV Oregon effort, with partners that include local health departments and community-based organizations. OHA is committed to significant financial investment with both traditional and non-traditional partners.
Learn more
www.EndHIVOregon.org